NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to improve cooperation among technical, law enforcement, cyber research and development, and capacity building.

Both countries have supported an open, inclusive, transparent, and multi-stakeholder system of internet governance. They have planned to work together to promote cyber security, combat cyber-crime, and advance norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace.

This was stated in a joint statement after External Affairs Minister and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker for the first US - India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue held in Washington yesterday.

Both sides commended the resumption of the US-India Cyber Dialogue. The Sides welcomed the decision to convene a Track 1.5 programme to further cooperation on internet and cyber issues and contribute to the goals of Digital India initiative.

In the first meeting of the US – India Information and Communication Technology Working Group US presented a draft work plan to facilitate collaboration and development in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Digital India” initiative.

The joint statement renewed the US-India Technology Safeguards Agreement to facilitate the launch of US satellite components on Indian space launch vehicles.

The statement also referred to outer space collaboration and noted the launch of a new Space Security Dialogue in March 2015 and the exchange of technical data from both countries’ national Mars orbiters, and upcoming Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bangalore.

The US side applauded India’s proposal to launch a satellite for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in order to expand information sharing and connectivity within the SAARC region.